[pianotech] Water damaged piano

[Gerald Groot]

I just simply tell them flat out that the piano has to set for a good year
before we will know the full extent of the damages.  

There is no reason why the piano cannot be placed back into the customers
home for use.  It would probably be better for it anyway to be used and it
would probably also be setting in a drier environment than the storage
facility.  (You did not plug it in and try the Disk unit?)  

100,000 gallons???  That's a LOT of water dude!  I suspect that when your
year is up, you'll find a lot more rust thoughout the piano than is visible
right now. You can plan on replacing the bass wires if the greenish
substance was not there before. (No way to tell unless you've been servicing
the piano in the past.)  Possibly the dampers as you already mentioned and
maybe even hammers as well as the year goes on....  Who knows, really, what
might happen in the next year.  The hammers could pop for all you know from
the excessive humidity from all of that water.  Or, not!...  It's a wait and
see period of time.  Stop by periodically to check on things so you can keep
a fresh memory of what was there NOW and what has changed or not changed, on
each visit thereafter. Take LOTS of notes!!!!!  

I would not send them any estimates yet.  As of yet, you do not know the
full extent of all damages. While what you see today, may, be it... There
could be other things too.  That's why I suggest waiting.  I've discovered
that it takes time for all of it to show up.  Besides, it looks better to
just hold off and send in your estimate all at once.  

It is up to the customer to tell the insurance company that they do NOT want
to settle on it for one full year.  The insurance companies that I've dealt
with are usually pretty understanding about such things as that.  

Jer Groot


-----Original Message-----
From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf
Of Rob McCall
Sent: Thursday, October 13, 2011 3:48 PM
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Subject: Re: [pianotech] Water damaged piano

So, does anyone have any proven methods of dealing with the insurance and
the flood mitigation company that want solutions yesterday? The insurance
company wants to pay it out, the owner wants their piano back, and the flood
company doesn't want to store it.

I have no problem telling them that it needs to sit for awhile to see what
will come up in the next few months, but it would be nice to have some tried
and true method, verbiage, or something to drive the point home. Or maybe I
can send them an estimate for what I found, plus some sort of disclaimer or
caveat to cover the issues (and my rear) that may (will) come up 4-6 months
down the road?

Regards,

Rob

On Oct 13, 2011, at 05:05 , Mike Spalding wrote:

> Rob,
> 
> Now that you've made a thorough inspection, thoroughly documented with
notes and photos, the thing to do is wait through the dry season ( or longer
if the insurance company will allow it) then re-inspect the piano to see if
any new damage shows up.
> 
> Mike